How to plan my itinerary to Sintra.
I need some advice on how to schedule my day at Sintra. I'll be going in early November, staying in Lisbon, and doing a day trip here.
I have already bought my ticket to Quinta de Regaleira at 10 am (first one of the day). I'm dashing to Poco Iniciatico, as soon as they open the gates. I was told to queue in line 1 hour before they open to get there before the crowds, but my friend went during summer.
Is queuing for a full hour before opening needed in November?
How much time do I really need to visit this place (I'm thinking 3 hours)?
Then I will walk to get lunch in town (taking about 1 hour for lunch) and then I don't know how to schedule the other castles.
I want to visit Pena Palace and Moorish Castle. I've seen this is a LOT of walking. I'm not worried about the physical part (I walk up to 20k steps a day regularly), I'm worried about the time.
Do I need to buy my ticket to Pena Palace in advance?
Which one should I visit first?
How much walking is required from the gates to the actual castles?
Should I take any sort of transportation that will save me significant time?
How much time do I actually need for each Castle (including walking in and out of the complex)?